


you & i forever

by itiswhatitisbutterfly



Series: vows [2]
Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: (by children i mean harry and louis and by acting up i mean flirting), Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Future Fic, Kid Fic, M/M, and a dinner party!, children acting up in an ice cream parlour, loads of cute tattoo headcanons, soccer mum harry and his cheer squad, there is an illegal sharpie tattoo parlour in a tree house
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-27
Updated: 2014-03-27
Packaged: 2018-01-17 05:06:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,675
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1374871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/itiswhatitisbutterfly/pseuds/itiswhatitisbutterfly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Saturday morning means club football with boots, mud and watching from the sidelines. Saturday afternoons mean rewarding good behaviour with ice cream. Sunday mornings mean not getting out of bed until you are forced to. The weekend with the Tomlinson's always means family time.</p><p>(Or the one where Harry and Louis have six kids)</p>
            </blockquote>





	you & i forever

**Author's Note:**

> You know when your parents are like 'don't name the stray cat you'll get attached.' this is a lot like that. I named the kids and I am attached. 
> 
> First note, you should probably read the first part (or don't whatever) it might just make more sense that way (but doesn't necessarily have to be done.)
> 
> Second note, there are a lot of random tattoo headcanons in here just fyi if Harry and Louis steal my ideas get the tattoos I made up in here I want royalties. 
> 
> And lastly, shout out to my mum for answering all my baby/children questions you are a champ and but hopefully you never see this.
> 
> (Title from none other than Happily)

Saturday morning club football means lots of pairs of boots, muddy foot prints on the kitchen floor and watching from the sidelines. But for Harry it also means cheering, cutting up orange slices and getting to perv on the assistant manager. It’s all round family fun for everyone basically.

Harry wrings his fingers together and jostles his leg up and down ruining a patch of grass but calming his nerves. They are down a point, and he doesn’t want them going into the break losing. He tries to put his hands in the pockets of his club jacket to stop them from moving, he needs to focus on that and not his desire to break into shouting tactics loudly because apparently that is embarrassing or something. He reminds himself to just remember it’s him and the game, no other distractions. Also that it’s just a game.

His focus is so intense watching one particular pair of feet move and a ball roll around that it stops him realising someone is pulling his sleeve.

“Dad,” a little voice says on the edge of his subconscious with a tug.

Something pulls harder but someone makes a very good pass and Harry’s eyes dart to follow it. It’s a good move and his heart rate quickens.

“Daddy,” the voice says again with a violent tug on his sleeve. It’s so strong his feet move and he loses his footing, slipping in the wet grass and pulling him back into reality.

That reality is five grumpy and slightly bored faces staring at him from their fold up chairs. 

Harry alternates quickly looking to watch the players and looking down at Grayson.

“Can we eat the orange slices?” he says with a typical Tomlinson smile, knowing the answer but wanting to push his luck hoping Harry will distractedly say yes.

The rest of his siblings mimic his angelic smile, some even putting their hands together to imitate praying with little pouts. Elliot who is very dedicated to the cause even gets down on his knees, a true dramatic.

“No,” Harry says crouching down and opening the bag filled with cones, an extra ball and the first aid kit, “You can have juice boxes though.”

Addison cheers at the suggestion, while the older ones maybe grumble just a little bit just for show. He retrieves five apple juice boxes and hands them out to hungry little hands who thank him immediately. While trying to open the straw for Peyton who waits politely with stretched out hands all the other families start shouting and clapping.

Harry’s head darts to catch his daughter being pulled into the middle of a group hug. Her teammates kiss her cheeks and pull her tight patting her on the head. The ball lies in the goal and the goalkeeper lies on the ground.

Last time, which was only last week, Harry missed her score he had to issue an apology personally to Liberity, the assistant manager and then to the rest of the world via twitter.

Harry quickly stands up straight turning toward the kids motioning for them to join. He is going to get in so much trouble for missing this _once again_.

“Clap clap clap!” He says clapping as loud as possible. “Where is the sign Mackenzie?” Harry says assisting the smallest of the Tomlinson’s to get on their feet to support their sister.

Mackenzie groans, “Do I really have to,” but still retrieves her “Go Liberity!” sign from behind her chair and holds it proudly in the air.

Addison retrieves her cheerleading pom pom’s unprompted and jumps up and down with Peyton. They each hold a juice box in one hand and a sparkly pom pom in the other.

They entire troop causes quite a racket as per usual, getting a few laughs and stares.

Harry isn’t bragging but the Tomlinson’s _are_ the best support team here on a weekly basis, it’s just a fact that their cheering skills are excellent. Singers obviously create kids with really good sets of lungs on them. It’s just a genetic fact.

Liberity spots them and blushes giving her biggest supporters a smile and then a graceful bow.

 “Good job Lib! Good job team,” Harry says providing everyone on his little team with a pat on the back.

“Do you think she noticed?” Elliot says scratching his head looking a tab bit worried.

“Maybe,” Harry shrugs, “But she’ll understand we had a juice box situation.”

The kids nod back seriously (juice box situations are very serious) and Mackenzie laughs into the back of her hand shaking her head. Harry tries to focus his attention back on the match not wanting to miss another crucial piece of game play and be subject to his daughters piercing gaze over the dinner table. He also really _really_ wants them to win.

But he is quickly distracted by a hand sneaking up his back and into his jacket. He knows that hand far too well to be surprised as to its owner or its intentions.

“Hi,” Louis says from behind, so close Harry can feel his smile and breath on the shell of his ear.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be Mr manager?” Harry says sweetly, turning around to smile at him.

“Assistant manager actually,” Louis corrects with a wink and a point to the embroidery on his fancy jacket like it actually matters. Minor technicalities.

“Shh don’t ruin the illusion.”

“You’re distracting me,” Louis says like it’s a no brainer. This sort of ridiculousness seems to happen every week.

“Well that makes two of us then,” Harry replies his attention now diverted from the game _once again_.

Louis smirks, “Missed her goal again?” and looks at the kids for a reaction. He shakes his head at their guilty little smiles that peer back at him from behind juice boxes.

“Oops!” Peyton says and then makes grabby hands from her spot in Mackenzie’s lap saying, “Papa!”

Louis reaches down and scoops her up into his arms easily. She instantly cuddles into his side wrapping her arms around his neck. He smiles at Harry, arching his eyebrows forcing an answer out of him.

Harry grimaces, “Maybe we missed it.”

Louis rolls his eyes dramatically just get a response out of Harry. He shakes his head and kisses the top of Peyton’s. He swore she was wearing a beanie when they left the house. She hands him her empty juice box as a present. “What are we going to do with him?” he asks the two year old.

She looks up at her daddy and back to her papa, she points her finger at Harry saying cheerfully, “Bye!”

This is also something that seems to happen every week. The theft of Peyton. Harry fakes shock and grabs her hands pretending to eat them peppering them with kisses disguised as chomping. She giggles and kicks her legs.

“Incoming!” Mackenzie shouts as the halftime whistle blows and the players leave the field.

Liberity stomps over hands on hips with grass stained knees and a bit of mud on her left cheek.  She smiles sweetly at both her papa and her dad.

“Was that a good pass?” she asks Louis. She is tiny but lethal, with a face and smile that will make you want to do anything and a sharp tongue. Harry likes to jokingly say he isn’t sure where it came from.

Harry smiles watching Louis’ internal panic, does he admit he was having a fault in concentration or does he bluff his way through this one?

  
“It was great Lib,” he says leaning down slightly to pat her on the head. Harry smiles, he hopes Libby isn’t ever taller than Louis. Not like Mackenzie with her inherited giraffe legs.

“Wrong! I didn’t even make a pass,” she says. Louis laughs quietly when he catches Harry doing the same.

“Stop flirting with each other!” she pleads, “Pay attention to my game.”

Also yet again another thing that seems to happen every single week, or really any given day. She grabs her orange slices and runs back to her teammates, eyeing them and dramatically pointing as she leaves.

“You heard her stop flirting with me,” Harry mocks with arms folded and slightly blushing cheeks.

“Just for that I’m taking Peyton,” Louis says taking a step back retreating to where the players are talking to the managers.

Harry pouts as Peyton waves goodbye. “No,” he says like someone is taking his favourite toy because really it’s quite similar. He stretches his hands out but she isn’t interested not when Louis has the promise of cuddles.

“Didn’t you hear her Harry? Bye!” Louis says taking her hand and waving it about.

“Just don’t let her fall in the mud again,” Harry mumbles fishing his phone out of his back pocket because they look really cute together with their matching boots and instagram definitely needs to know about that.

 

 

They end up winning like always. Liberity claims she is the winning secret. Louis claims it’s his ‘mad coaching skills’. Harry puts up a good fight that is it him and his cheer squad.

To celebrate all of these very talented achievements (plus the fact that Mackenzie drew her netball game and the boys won their rugby) (and everyone’s good behaviour) they are all treated to a trip to their favourite ice cream parlour. It’s small and a little bit quirky, but nice because everyone who works there leaves them relatively alone and they didn’t ban them that one time Elliot poured a milkshake over Grayson’s head.

“You can pick one thing from the menu,” Louis says sliding a menu to each and everyone in the circle booth apart from Harry who he will have to share with. Plenty of little hands eagerly take the menus and thank him sweetly in return.

The twins pout at exactly the same time. “Just one?”

“One means one,” Louis says to Elliot.

“One and a half?” Grayson says with a crooked smile.

Louis shakes his head.

“Why don’t you two just pick a different one each, and then share the two,” Harry says smiling laying out his grand plan. They think it’s a great idea, because they think its cheating the system when really it isn’t.

Harry sits right at the edge of the circular booth and Louis slides in next to him for the moment. He is pretty sure he will end up having to move when Addison needs her banana split cut up or the boys need to be separated.

“What do you want?” Harry asks bumping his shoulder into Louis’ one.

Louis thinks for a second scanning the menu, then looks at Harry. “Do you think we’re sharing?”

Harry smiles but keeps quiet just drumming his fingers against the table.

“Get your own,” Louis says sarcastically grabbing their shared menu and hiding it so Harry can’t try and copy him or convince him to get something he likes.

“Now I’m just going to have to steal some. Sharing is caring,” Harry pouts dramatically.

Addison smiles up from her menu across the table and says ever so politely, “You can share mine I don’t mind.”

“Thank you Addison but it’s alright papa is just being silly,” Harry replies smiling at Addison and then he whispers to her just loud enough so Louis can hear, “He really doesn’t mind sharing.”

“Right,” Louis says placing the menu back on the table, “Everyone ready?”

“Yes,” Liberity nods. Addison next to her shakes her head panicked and annoyed that she can’t read the menu as well as everyone else.

Grayson leans into her to help her out and points down to the menu finding what she wants after she whispers it in his ear.“That’s the one,” he says proudly.

She replaces his finger with her pointer finger and proclaims, “I’m ready.”

“So are we,” Elliot says doing the same thing with his finger as Addison, to not lose the item he had so carefully picked out with his excellent reading skills.

Mackenzie doesn’t make a sound because she hasn’t opened her menu and sits texting.

“Mac,” Harry says.

She looks up with wide eyes and sees everyone is watching her. “Yes?”

“Put your phone away, or do you want to read your last text out to everyone?” Louis says half joking. It would be funny though.

The phone goes away instantly. And she says barely looking at the menu, “I get the same thing every time.”

“And Peyton?” Louis says leaning forward to look past Harry, who is too engrossed in the menu, to see her.

She has the menu open and perched on her head like a hat. It covers her entire face and she can’t see anything.

“Babe,” Louis says turning Harry’s head towards her with a hand on his cheek.

Everyone at the table giggles. “What are you doing?” Harry says between laughs at his daughter as he carefully removes her menu hat and places it on the table.

“Hi,” she says when she can see again.

“Do you know what she’s getting?” Louis asks Harry instead. He nods, still laughing as Peyton leans into him.

“Okay. Mackenzie first,” Louis says.

“Strawberry sundae.”

“Right. Okay,” Louis says moving onto the next one.

“Wait repeat that,” Harry says opening his phone up to type it out in a lovely neat and organised list. Harry knows this is always an eternal struggle, they never seem to get it right. He isn’t sure if his children just change their minds, swap with each, steal from each other or if Louis is just terrible at getting it right (and refuses to let anyone else do _his_ job)

Louis closes the app. “No. I’ve got it.”

“Lou,” Harry whines drawing the syllable out and opening the app up again. “You mess it up every time,” he says quietly.

Louis shakes his head. “It was one time.”

“It’s every time,” Harry says looking for back up from the kids.

“It’s every time,” Liberity says quietly agreeing.

“Fine,” Louis says, “We’ll be that family that makes a list. Bloody weird.”

Harry smiles having won the battle. “Repeat that love,” he asks Mackenzie.

“Strawberry sundae, no cherry.”

He types it out and then motions at a grumpy Louis to continue asking.

“Libby,” Louis asks.

“Rainbow delight,” she replies.

Mackenzie laughs and Liberity glares at her. “What?”

Mackenzie just shrugs. “Sounds gross that’s all.”

“You sound gross,” Libby says under her breathe. She can’t help it if she doesn’t want a fruity weird choice.

“Libby,” Harry says with a warning tone. Liberity huffs out a breath, her stupid sister making her the bad one once again.

“Grayson.”

He takes his time reading out the menu proudly running his finger along the words as he goes, “Triple chocolate sundae. One scoop of chocolate ice cream, with hot chocolate fudge sauce and topped with sprinkles.”

“I’m not going to write all of that,” Harry tells Louis quietly as he types the orders out.

“You don’t need to, I’ve got it all up here anyway,” he says pointing to his brain.

“Elliot,” Louis says prompting his son.

“Just so we are clear if we are going in age order I should have been before Grayson,” Elliot tells everyone on the table.

“We all know you’re older than him,“ Mackenzie says because they hear about it all the time. Like fifty times a day.

“What do you want Ellie?”

“A caramel swirl.”

“Addison.”

Addison’s eyes open wide and she lifts her menu up upside down. “That one!” she says pointing.

”Wrong way,” Harry says beaming at her and at her brothers who had helped her. Nothing cuter that team tommo working together for good rather than evil.

“What?” she says then looks at it and switches it around.

“A banana split, what a surprise,” Louis comments.

“Peyton?”

Harry doesn’t reply for Peyton though just smiles and starts to type her order out on his phone silently.

“Hey! I’m in charge here,” Louis says grabbing the phone from Harry.

“Oh so you want to do that now? Thought you didn’t need it.”

Louis ignores him.

“What would you like Peyton?” he asks his youngest daughter.

She shrugs and points to the last thing on the menu the closest one to her. The Mount Everest, the vanilla ice cream tower supposed to be shared by five people.

“Maybe not that one,” he sighs.

He writes down to get her the smallest children’s sundae possible.

“Okay that’s everyone then,” Louis says standing up.

“Oh cute you’re going to order for me,” Harry says sarcastically, tugging on Louis arm with a glint in his eyes.

He knows Louis is trying to be funny by deliberately ignoring him.

“Nope, not getting you anything.”

“So we’re sharing then?” Harry winks as Louis walks to the counter. They are totally sharing.

Harry smiles back at the kids who watch them both. Addison seems to be lovely gazing at them with heart eyes, in awe of everything her two favourite people in the world do. While Mackenzie and Liberity make gagging noises.

“You two are so gross,” Liberity says with certain fondness. “So we’re sharing then?” she repeats batting her eyelashes at her sister who laughs.

“One day,” Harry starts wistfully, “You going to be really gross, I’m going to remember that.”

When Louis returns the first thing Harry whispers to him is, “Did you get a caramel delight? Did you remember extra hot sauce?”

“Yes,” Louis says like it is the most obvious answer in the world putting his arm around him and earning a kiss.

For the first time ever probably nobody gets the wrong ice cream (also nobody gets ice cream in their hair, small victories!) Louis brags that he doesn’t get it wrong _every_ time and Liberity has to issue a formal apology.

“I, Liberity Anne Tomlinson, apologize for stating that you get the order wrong _every_ time. I am sorry for any harm that that statement has caused,” she says standing with her hand on a menu held by Elliot.

Everyone politely claps. “Apology accepted,” Louis says pretending to wipe a tear from his eye.

“Dad your turn,” Liberity says.

Harry shrugs and stands up and places his hand on the menu. “I, Harry Edward Tomlinson (nee Styles), apologize for stating that you get the order wrong _every_ time. I’m not sorry for having excellent ideas like making a list which made this miracle happen today.”

Harry gets the biggest round of applause. He is pretty sure the table next to them claps as well.

 

 

It’s late afternoon and Mackenzie sits on a sofa in the office watching the clock tick. She can do this, she can calmly and sensibly ask if she can bring a boy for dinner. Without starting another World War, getting kicked out or giving her dads a heart attack.

It’s not really much of an office to be honest she ponders. It’s more musical instruments and memorabilia in the shape of an office connected to the studio at the back of the house. Leonardo their fluffy cat slinks around her ankle then disappears under the piano. The piano in here is old, they use the one in the sitting room for practice maybe that is the reason why she never comes in here.

 Also the Harry doll freaks her out from its spot on a shelf. She is pondering who thought tooth brushes were good merchandising tools when the door opens.

“You are totally freaking your dad out,” Louis says walking in casually, he drops his phone on the desk and lounges himself on a chair with his feet up. Casual. Totally chill. Not worried at all about all this suspense.

“Is he standing outside?” she asks knowing the answer.

“I’m pretty sure he has his ear against the door.”

As if right on cue a muffled but long, “Hiiii” sounds through the wooden door.

Mackenzie ponders for a second. She only wanted to seem grown up and do the hardest first and not look like she was taking the easy option. She is trying to be assertive.

She shrugs, “I guess I don’t mind if he-“

“Oh thank God,” Harry says opening the door quickly and shuffling in.

He plants himself right in Louis lap curling up and trying his best to make his limbs appear as small as possible. It’s impossible. Mackenzie sighs, normal behaviour then. If she asked they would probably let her join in and turn it into a cuddle pile. This entire meeting will end in a cuddle pile if she isn’t careful.

They stare at their daughter expectantly and she fidgets, brushing her brown hair behind her ear.

 “Lay it on us Mac, put us out of our misery,“ Louis says kindly and totally casually just to soothe her apparent nerves.

“Okay, well. I’m not trying to put pressure on you or anything so don’t panic. I’m just asking and don’t treat it like a real special thing it’s just like thing else or anyone else! Also I’m asking really nicely here, and don’t go all she’s a baby on me.”

Her arms move in rapid motions and she keeps brushing that uncooperative strand back behind her ear as she talks slowly. Louis thinks this monologue is gonna go on for a while unless he helps her out.

Harry nods seriously following her trying to get to a point.

Louis sighs, “Do you want to get a tattoo?”

Mackenzie stops rambling and her mouth gapes open. She shakes her head then stops, leaning it to the side slightly confused, “Well, yes maybe. But that’s not what I’m asking!”

Louis tries to process the first part of that answer.

Harry’s hand squeezes his arm saying don’t freak out. His heart rate quickens however. It’s just that is his baby his little light at the end of the tunnel. His little baby bird. He sounds like a sap. But he totally is. Louis has been a synonym for sappy ever since they put her in his arms. Probably before that actually, probably when he met a stupid curly headed boy in a bathroom.

He is totally not freaking out. Nope.

Mackenzie clears her throat and fixes her gaze. “I’m asking if I can bring my friend Adam here so you can meet him and he could have dinner?”

Now it’s Louis turn to let his mouth fall open.

“Adam from choir?” Harry says with a knowing smile and twinkling eyes.

Louis looks from his daughter to Harry and back again.

“You know about this?” he asks.

Mackenzie instantly shakes her head and says quickly, “No he doesn’t!”

“He just walked her to the car after choir practice once,” Harry says with a knowing wink to Louis.

“He’s just my friend,” Mackenzie says seriously.

Louis realises he has barely said anything and his mouth is still hanging open because he has no idea how he is supposed to feel about this.

“He’s just my friend!” she repeats certain neither of them are listening but rather just looking at each other, “I’m only asking this because I know if I just sprung it on you last minute you would be all like ‘Mackenzie, it’s important that we talk about this blah blah blah someone like you always be my baby’ so please don’t make it weird!”

Louis keeps looking at Harry but listens to her. Harry arches his eyebrows and tilts his head toward Mackenzie. Louis shakes his head and scrunches up his nose. He then just crosses his eyes the fun of it and Harry does the stupid frog face that has made Liberity laugh since the day she was born.

“Stop having a conversation without me,” she whines.

Harry laughs when Louis pokes his tongue out at him and directs his attention back at Mackenzie.

“Well, I say yes,” Harry smiles, “But I don’t think this is up to me,” he says as he pinches Louis side.

“I say no,” Louis quips back.

Both Harry and Mackenzie give him the same look.

“Lou,” Harry says stubbornly.

“She isn’t allowed to date anyone until she is sixteen, this sounds like a date to me,” Louis says back just as stubbornly.

“When was that made a rule?” Mackenzie asks surprised.

“Just now when I realised you wanted to date boys,” he replies.

“It’s not a rule,” Harry says using his ‘we haven’t talked about that’ tone.

Mackenzie rolls her eyes. “First of all, he is my friend. Second, this is not a date. If it was that would be the lamest first date in the history of first dates. And lastly, if you say no I am still going to see him every day at school, when we have choir and when we hang out. Wouldn’t it just put your mind at ease to meet my friend?”

“It’s only dinner,” Harry adds. He gives Mackenzie a thumbs up with his hand that is around Louis neck out of his view.

“You’re a traitor,” Louis says poking Harry’s side.

Louis lets out a long and heavy breath looking between the two pairs of hopeful eyes in the room.

Mackenzie smiles and says a long drawn out, “Please.”

“I don’t think there is any way you are getting out of this,” Harry laughs.

“You know we’re all going to torment him?” Louis says with a weak smile. He doesn’t really have any choice does he. This is happening whether he likes it or not.

“Is that a yes?” she shouts bringing her hands together.

It takes all the energy Louis has to slowly nod and say, “Yes.”

She jumps up and throws herself onto her parents kissing both of their heads repeatedly. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

Just like she predicted it ends in a cuddle pile like always as they collapse into each other. She thinks they hold her extra tight because they mentally don’t want to let go.

 

 

“Sit,” Harry says scooping up a rouge boy and placing him back on the couch easily avoiding his small kicking feet.  He then grabs another and repeats the process. Double trouble.

Mackenzie sits in the corner tapping away at her phone. Liberity sits arms folded staring back expectantly. Both of the twins now sit poking each other in the sides. Harry notes he should separate them, but he is pretty sure none of the girls are going to volunteer for that job.

He has four of them. He turns and counts Peyton playing on the floor making a block tower. That makes five. So they are just missing one.

There is some noise in the hallway and then Louis and Addison appear. Harry expected Addison to be in her pyjamas after her bath like she is supposed to be but instead she is in her pink princess dress and crown. Louis is so so easy.

That is problem number one. Getting her to take it off may be an issue. There was once a week where it was a battle every morning to remind her she couldn’t wear it to school.

She has also convinced Louis to crawl along the floor with her on his back. Problem number two.

“What are you two doing?” Harry asks very amused.

“I’m riding my unicorn,” she says pointing her wand at Harry and making sounds like a gun. She spends too much time with her brothers.

“Unicorn? I thought I was a noble steed,” Louis says with shortened breath but still crawling along happily.

Harry smiles down at him and asks Addison, “What happened to your pyjamas?”

“Well I’m not going to bed yet so...” she says with complete innocence and wide grin.

“Well, you are very soon,” Harry says motioning for her to get off her ‘unicorn’ which she does with a sigh and wriggles her way in between her brothers like a little diplomatic peacekeeper with a wand as a weapon.

“What did happen to the pyjama’s?” Harry asks Louis who is flopped on his back lying on the carpet.

“I honestly don’t know,” Louis says smiling, knowing exactly.

Louis eventually gets off the floor and Harry states the family meeting commences. (This basically means everyone just starts talking over each other.)

“Why are we having a meeting?” Elliot asks rapidly.

Grayson looks at him and shakes his head, “We didn’t do it,” he says motioning to them.

“I know what it’s about,” Liberity sing songs smugly.

“Are we finally kicking you out of the family?” Mackenzie says to her without skipping a beat and a serious smile on her face.

“No, they’re sending you to hipster reform school,” Liberity bites back with her tongue out.

Mackenzie laughs and shakes her head. “That’s actually a good one.”

Addison just sits there sighing with her face in her hands and her crown slightly askew, because no one listens when she tells them to be quiet.

“The more you all bicker the earlier you go to bed,” Louis says loudly and then looks at Harry pointedly, like look I know they have me wrapped around their fingers but.

That stops them dead in their tracks and they all shut their mouths and stare at their parents.

“Mackenzie, do you want to do it?” Louis asks her. She shakes her head and averts her eyes.

“You sure?” asks Harry. She shakes her head again.

“Tomorrow night Mackenzie’s friend is coming for dinner,” Louis says slowly, trying to stress its seriousness.

Mackenzie sinks lower into her seat and all of her brothers and sisters turn to look at her. It’s eerily silent.

“Why is that important?” Elliot asks innocently.

“Because it’s a friend who is a boy that she _likes_ ,” Louis says with a wink.

It flicks a switch in the children and they start talking over each other _again_.

“I knew it! I knew it,” Liberity says raising her hands in the air as if she deserves a prize.

“I don’t like him!” Mackenzies whines as Harry and Louis laugh together.

The boys simply poke their fingers at Mackenzie, while Addison blinks up at her parents with her inquisitive eyes and says, “I don’t understand. Why is that funny?”

Louis and Harry sort of just look at each other and Harry says between giggles,”Because she wants to hold his hand, and kiss him.”

“Is it Adam?” Grayson asks Mackenzie.

“Why does everybody know about Adam but me?” Louis asks Harry.

Mackenzie shoves Grayson off her and says, “He doesn’t know anything.”

Harry shrugs at Louis and they both focus their attention on trying to pry the kids off each other, because somehow Libby has Grayson in a headlock. Once order has been restored and Peyton has stopped crying and is being held they actually get into the serious business.

“No food fights,” Louis says with a wink aimed toward the boys.

Harry frowns. “Seriously, no food fights.”

“No breaking plates,” Louis says directed at Liberity.

“That was a one time, two time thing,” she replies with a grimace.

“No anything really.”

“We’re talking best behaviour here. We have faith in you guys, we know you can all be good,” Harry says with full commitment, they really are good and they really do have the ability to be perfect. It just takes a little bit of work sometimes.

 

 

“She’s too mature for her own good,” Louis says staring at the ceiling with his hands behind his head.

He yawns straight after it and thinks he ought to turn the light off. He turns his head and looks at Harry who sits up against the pillows legs crossed and is chewing his bottom lip and scanning his eyes from an email he is typing and a bunch of documents. It’s song lyrics and sheet music and stupid stuff that can be done tomorrow. He should definitely just turn the light off and make him sleep already, just looking at Harry makes him feel more worn down like is body is trying to compensate.

“Babe,” Louis states.

“I’m listening,” Harry says his eyes catching Louis’ own, “She’s too mature for her own good. That isn’t a bad thing though.”

“I just- any other thirteen year old would just snog the guy behind the bike shed and never tell her parents about how she sneaks out to see him on the weekend.”

Harry hums in agreement. “Maybe but maybe we just raised her well.”

Louis ignores the comment keeping his rant going. “She didn’t have to do it though, and she didn’t have to ask me. She could have easily asked you and you would have convinced me.”

“She convinced you though,” Harry says finally closing the ipad and shuffling the papers to the side table.”Maybe she wanted the satisfaction in that.”

“If this is what she is like at thirteen how are we going to handle her at sixteen. She’ll be practically married by eighteen,” Louis says rolling over so he can’t be seen anymore. He doesn’t want Harry to see his freaked out expression. Babies are incredibly difficult, especially your first one. Toddlers will wear you out till your breaking point. Sending you kid to school for the first time is challenging. But nothing is as daunting as the concept of the teenager.

“I think she’s just too much like you,” Louis says muffled into the pillow.

Harry hears it though and sighs. “I feel like you might be overreacting-“

“Oh god,” Louis says sitting up suddenly eyes wide and hair wild, “How old is this boy?”

Harry goes to laugh manically but covers his mouth, not wanting to wake anyone. He really doesn’t want to share the bed tonight with anyone other the person next to him and only him and loud noises will definitely mean small people stealing his bed.

“I bet he’s like sixteen or something,” Louis says glaring at Harry, remembering a fond little sixteen year old Harry pining for an eighteen year old Louis. While cute at the time, Louis now has an irrational fear. They do say what you do comes back to haunt you through your children.

“He seems really nice, and not that old,” Harry says trying to shove Louis knowing exactly what he is implying. His shove doesn’t really work though it’s too fond and Louis grabs hold of him.

“Not that old,” Louis sing songs back mocking him.

“You’d know about old wouldn’t you,” Harry says equally mocking while also pouting his lips asking for kiss.

Louis lets go of him and rolls over, “I was going to kiss you but I guess I won’t now that you called me old.”

Harry sighs dramatically and lets Louis turn off the lamp.

“You know I like old. It’s cute when you get all protective,” Harry whispers as Louis gives in a lets him crawl into his arms.

Louis makes a sound of indifference. But Harry continues, “It’s cute when you worry. But put some trust in her, and your parenting skills. Just be nice tomorrow alright.”

“I will,” Louis says softly into the dark.

“You going to kiss me now? This is your chance because literally I will be asleep in a minute,” Harry yawns, saying it as if Louis isn’t entirely familiar with Harry’s ability to fall asleep in a second.

“I can do that too,” he replies as he leans down to give him what he wants.

 

Louis’ eyes blink open and he stares at the clock on the bedside table. The numbers say he should be awake and up by now but his brain quickly reminds him it’s Sunday, which means no school run or football. No anything really. His internal celebrations are cut short by his realisation that he hasn’t just woken up for the fun of it. Nobody wakes up at this time for the fun of it. The baby monitor is feeding very quiet snuffles from someone very close to tears.

Harry stirs behind him on the right side of the bed his giant hand on Louis’ hip pulling him in closer as they both notice the noise.

“I’ll go,” he says in his wrecked morning voice deep and tired, probably barely conscious of what he is saying. His words don’t convey into actions though as Harry doesn’t move a muscle. But he does let out a sigh, and Louis knows he is counting down in his head willing himself to move.

Louis smiles because even half asleep Harry is always willing to sacrifice. He leans his head back and says, “I’ve got it don’t fret love.”

Harry pouts when Louis extracts Harry’s hand and then himself from the bed slowly waking his limbs up. It’s cold so he pushes the blankets back up around Harry once he leaves him all alone. He knows he will miss his shared body heat even for a few minutes. Harry snuggles into the duvet with a furrowed brow.

He pads down the dark hall yawning and stretching quietly passing a few doors until he reaches the one he was looking for. It’s the smallest room for the smallest girl.  He opens the door on and switches on the lights.

Peyton stand in her crib hands clutching the railings with little sobs leaving her mouth. When she sees the door slowly creep open and the room light up the tears stop rolling and she looks up.

Her face lights up when she says, “Papa.”

“What’s all this noise about P?” Louis asks quietly, well aware that Harry can hear them, as he picks her up.

She extends her hand toward her window where the smallest of morning light peeks through the curtains, “Morning time,” she says softly.

Louis wouldn’t quite count it as morning yet. But it’s arguable she is correct.

He changes her quickly and puts her back into her pyjamas. He walks them back toward the bedroom, carrying both Peyton and her favourite blanket. Normally he would find some breakfast for her but he doesn’t want to get in trouble, apparently this week is raw food snacks week with the exception of ice cream apparently. Louis doesn’t know how that works.

But it’s cute how Harry is so concerned about brain growth and functionality. Louis thinks that’s a weird thought and swears he will never ever verbalise it. He blames it on the lack of sleep.

Harry is lying face down asleep again so Louis motions to Peyton to be very quiet as they sneak back into bed. She mimics him by placing her fingers on her wide grin. But he can see her eyes twinkling just waiting to get her hands on Harry.

They slip back into Louis side and Peyton wriggles her way into between Harry and Louis with her blankie. He smiles at the way Peyton kisses Harry’s cheek and tries to snuggle into him. She is way too awake however and she wriggles around like a bed bug. Louis gets kicked by footie pyjamaed feet so he is pretty certain Harry gets kicked on the shin as a wake up present.

It only takes a matter of seconds before Harry is turning his face, dented with indents from the sheet and saying, “Morning Peyton.”

Peyton’s eyes light up and she wriggles into his arms as he sits up slowly rubbing his eyes. Louis sighs, he feels guilty for not just taking her out to put a movie on or to play with her toy kitchen.

“Daddy,” Peyton giggles as Harry kisses her head and tickles her sides.  

But then he doesn’t feel so guilty because his heart feels so big it could explode. Because Harry is pretending to be the tickle monster capturing the princess while he is running on under five hours of very interrupted sleep. Louis knows he wouldn’t want to be woken up by anything else. It’s something they can definitely agree on.

When Harry finally lets Peyton go she snuggles back into the gap between them content to have her hair pet like normal while she cuddles her blanket and occasionally says her profound thoughts aloud.

Louis grabs Harry’s hand and rubs his thumb along the back of it. Harry smiles at his gentle show of affection and greets him with a, “Good Morning.”

Louis smiles shyly and replies, “I love you.”

Harry shakes his head with a chuckle as if to say, ‘What has gotten into you?’ and replies, “I love you two.”

He kisses them both and laughs at his own joke.

Peyton looks up with inquisitive eyes and says, “Love.”

Harry brushes a hand through her hair and nods, “Good job P.”

The three of them lazily lay in bed for a while nobody really feeling that up to do anything but try to fall back asleep, much to Peyton’s distain. Louis only leaves to fetch them both tea from the kitchen and returns with a new little shadow following quick on his tail.

“Look who found me,” he says quietly.

He places Harry’s mug on his side table trying to not make much of a sound. Peyton seems to have quietened down, with Harry’s magic hands and ability to sooth her into slumber via lullabies. He sits up halfway on the pillows and has Peyton laying on his bare chest her eyes heavy and lidded. His large hands hold her little ones in a soft embrace drawing circles in her palms and softly singing about he just wants it to be him and her forever.

It’s not that that Louis smiles at however.

Her head is framed with a bird on either side. They appear to be watching over her, protecting her from above her crown like a halo. His heart warms at a picture he has never grown tired of seeing. It’s the same image he has seen five times before but it has the same damn effect. It’s just nice the way her nose brushes the face of the small bird as she senses Louis has returned and he can feel his heart flutter.

Addison comes quickly bounding into the room bearing both her favourite story book and her fluffy rabbit soft toy. The quiet is about to be ruined indefinitely.

“Peyton!” she says jumping onto the bed and crawling up to kiss her sister’s forehead as she stirs even more.

“Daddy!” she says kissing Harry’s forehead as well. She wriggles her way into Louis lap as he sits back in bed, his tea on his side table.

“You don’t want to sit on Daddy?” Louis asks being squished and poked by rouge elbows and knees.

Addison shakes her head and thrusts Louis her book. “No, Papa is going to read me ‘The Cat in the Hat’”

After the riveting tale told by the self proclaimed best story teller ever, Addison and Peyton just seem content with cuddles alternating between Harry and Louis or hiding under the blankets scaring each other.

The boys seem to have ventured downstairs only to find it empty and retreat back up to the bedroom for company. Elliot and Grayson come baring food obviously snuck out of the top shelf in the pantry, which means one of them climbed on the other’s shoulders to sneak it. They put a new meaning in the phrase double trouble. Honestly. They perch themselves at the end of the bed.

Both of their sisters moan that their brothers won’t share when their sneaky hands try to steal but fail and Harry makes a trip downstairs and returns with fruity gifts for both of them. It appears they have created a picnic in their bed Harry thinks as he climbs back in. That probably isn’t the best idea but he doesn’t have the energy to care.

He isn’t worried though because both he and Louis seem very content with staying in bed all day and not moving a muscle.

Addison wriggles around bored and whines, “Tell us a story.”

“You can go get another picture book if you’d like,” Harry says as he tries to calm her down from kicking her brothers off the bed or making a bowl of orange slices go flying.

She shakes her head, “No, I want a Dad story.”

Elliot rolls over to face them his eyes tell them he has a great idea, “A tattoo story!”

Grayson does the same reaching for an apple slice and nodding along saying, “Can we pick?”

“Okay, I suppose,” Harry says reluctantly and instantly he has a handful of children climbing over him grabbing at his arms violently.

They seem fixated on making Louis play along as well, grabbing him and forcing him to put his tea down.

“I thought this was supposed to be a Daddy story,” Louis says with a smile.

Grayson shakes his head, “You aren’t getting out of this.”

Harry laughs at Louis. He looks ridiculous with the kids climbing over him trying to pull his sleeves up. But then he probably can’t talk, he looks just as tormented.

“Well oldest first I guess,” Harry says as Addison tries her luck at counting the ones on his wrist. She is very good at counting she likes to brag.

 Elliot and Grayson look at each other before Elliot laughs and tells Grayson, “Don’t worry one day you’ll be old like me.”

He ponders for a minute looking between Harry and Louis before settling on Louis. He seems set on what he wants then, extending his finger and prodding the card suits that circle Louis’ wrist.

“That one,” he says and Louis holds it up and everyone takes a look. Not like they don’t see it every day and have probably asked before.

“Right, this was the first one I got on this arm and was the only one here for a quite a while,” he says gesturing the now quite crowded space.

“It’s card suits, you know when we play cards?” the boys nod in agreement but Addison seems confused so he adds, “Like when we play snap?”

“Yes, I love that game!” Addison says intrigued having forgotten her mission of counting.

Louis nods his head, “Well each of the cards has one of these little symbols on it,” he says counting each of the four symbols on his wrist.

They all seem to be following apart from Peyton who seems to be pretending to be a lion to scare Harry, who is repeatedly trying to make her focus.

“Each of the four little pictures on here represents one person. The club for Uncle Niall, the diamond for Uncle Zayn and the spade for Uncle Liam,” he says as he points out each accordingly and receives ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ from the crowd.

“And then who do we think the heart is for?” Louis says as he points to the coloured suit, the one that points the opposite direction to the others.

“Dad’s ruined it, he’s doing the face,” Grayson says laughing.

Louis looks at Harry who has Peyton hanging off him like a monkey but is still managing to creepily stare at Louis unblinking and fond.

“He ruined it,” Addison says laughing, “You let the secret out Daddy.”

“What?” Harry says breaking into a huge grin.

“It’s you!” Elliot says pointing, “You’re the heart.” He punctuates it with a kissy face and his brother and sisters join in making hand hearts and giggling.

“Papa loves you!” Addison giggles as she is attacked with kisses from Harry who bundles the four of them up kissing all of their heads.

“And I love you.”

Grayson laughs so hard Louis actually thinks for a moment he will need to go get his inhaler. But eventually he is fine and says, “My turn.”

He takes a long time to pick, so long in fact Elliot repeatedly asks if he needs help or tries to tell him what to pick increasingly getting frustrated.

Eventually he settles on the sun on Harry’s right arm.

“You already know that one,” Elliot grumbles convinced he would have picked a better tattoo.

“But it’s a good one,” Grayson whines back pushing him off the bed but it’s in good nature as he laughs and Grayson topples down with him. They eventually get back on the bed after being warned they won’t get to play if they misbehave.

Harry brushes a tentative finger over the shining sun nestled between the stars and starts, “I got the sun after we got married and it is supposed to represent the brightest thing in my life.”

All of their twinkling eyes stare back at him.

“And,” Harry says placing his arm next to Louis’ own, “It has a matching one.”

The moon and the sun sit side by side and the little crowd gives a collective grin.

“I think that’s my favourite,” Addison says running her hand along it.

“Same,” Louis says watching her fingers carefully.

“Same,” echoes Peyton like a little parrot.

Addison examines Louis’s hands carefully, pointedly taking her sweet time with each finger taking in all the crevices and slopes.

“This one please,” she says yanking at his ring finger pointing at the thin black line that circles it.

“Is she serious?” someone says from the thin inch of exposed door.

“Hi Liberity,” Louis replies.

“Not my name.”

“Don’t be rude then, and don’t hide out in the hall pretending you are too cool for cuddles.”

The door slowly creaks open and Liberity shuffles in huffing about.

“It’s just she picked the most obvious one. She wasted a perfectly good turn.”

Addison doesn’t seem so pleased with her sister now or her brothers who nod in agreement like they were any better.

“I can’t help it if I’m small,” she wails.

“Oh  baby,” Harry murmurs as he gets her to sit back down again and remove her hands from her hips.

“I’m just small and still learning,” she says inquisitively with a worried and concerned look upon her face.

“We know,” Louis replies kissing her forehead.

Louis frowns at the others. “That wasn’t very nice Libby.”

“Sorry Addison, I didn’t mean it,” Liberity says flopping down on the bed as well.

Addison smiles back at her in acceptance from where she is cradled in the crook of Harry’s arm. She resists the urge to poke her tongue out at her sister.

“It’s just a wedding band, when you get married you get a ring for your finger,” Louis says holding his fingers out for her to look at again.

“Oh,” she says smiling and blushing. “I knew that didn’t I.”

“Do I get a turn then?” Liberity smiles sweetly if not cheekily.

Harry looks at Louis, who looks like he is falling asleep now even with Peyton tugging on his hair. But with eyes closed he still shrugs a yes.

They both know what is going to happen though. She points to the book on Harry’s forearm and he frowns at her.

She does her best Tomlinson pout and says, “Please.”

Harry shakes his head. “It’s just a book.”

Not really. But he doesn’t want to talk about it with his ten year old trouble maker of a daughter. She doesn’t understand that she is just too young at the moment and Harry just doesn’t want to go around laying burdens down on teeny little tiny minds. Plus the past is in the past.

“It’s just a boat, it’s just a bird and it’s just a book,” she whines. “You’re terrible liars.”

“Maybe another time,” Harry says removing her death grip from his arm and pinching her cheek.

“I know it says can’t, what does it cover up?” she says proudly.

“Little ears Libby,” Louis says putting a finger up to his lips to shush her, he still has his eyes closed and his head on a pillow.

“Pick another one.”

“That’s not fair,” she says even though she really knows it is rules are rules after all.

She mindlessly prods her finger at the star with a cursive L in it. She also arches her eyebrow.

“Oh creative choice,” Louis says having opened his eyes.

“I’m proving a point.”

“You,” Harry says wrapping his arms around her while she is momentarily distracted, “Are. A. Trouble. Maker.”

He punctuates every word with a kiss to her protesting head. She gives up her struggle easily leaning it and letting it happen until she is squished up next to Addison. She’s used to it. They all are. It’s better to just let them snuggle you then to fight it off and get twice as many kisses.

“Thanks,” she says trying her best not to giggle or break out into a grin. She is doing very serious business here.

“Well,” Harry says starting his monologue still holding Liberity in a death grip, “Every sailor has a compass.”

“Where is the compass?” Addison grabbing Louis arm, she finds it and points it out proudly, “Got it!”

“Good finding Addison,” Harry comments.

“But every good sailor can find their way by following the stars in the sky.” They all nod along like they have never heard this information before. They are such good actors these kids. And Louis as well, who ‘ooh’s’ at the right moments and gets Peyton to copy.

“I’ve got six stars.”

“Wow,” Liberity dead pans. “So who might this one be for?”

“You.”

“No way!” she giggles.

“Yes way. Because I love you,” he says still not letting go.

She blushes. It’s probably considered a defeat when she whispers back, “I love you too.”

And there she is Harry thinks, the big old exterior with an even bigger softie within. His little Lib Lib.

“I’m not bragging but I was the first star. There was a time when I was the one and only,” Mackenzie says proudly from the doorway having snuck in without anyone noticing. She then sing songs, “I promised one day I’d bring you back a star, I caught one and it burned a hole in my hand.”

“I think we should probably get out of bed now. Mackenzie has beaten us, and she doesn’t normally get out until after lunch,” Louis says.

It is met with reluctant grumbles until Harry says, “How about pancakes?”

 

 

“You have to get out of the tree,” Louis says with his hands on his hips staring up into the tree in the backyard. Nestled between the branches is an elaborate tree house. It sort of looks like a boat with its steering wheel and deck railing but it’s the tree house. And that is not arguable apparently. It is also acceptable to call it the fort.

The door opens and a brown haired head pops out suddenly. “No. Can’t do.”

The door closes again just as quickly and Elliot’s head disappears.

Louis could climb the ladder open the unlocked door and drag them out. But he fears he will climb up there and never leave as he will end up joining in on whatever they are doing.

“You have five minutes. Or you are about to get banned for a week,” Louis says instead.

Liberity’s head pokes out of the window. Typical. Louis didn’t even know she was hiding up there with the boys.

“Seriously?” she whines.

“Yes,” Louis says. “I will find a padlock and lock that door. You all need to get dressed.”

“I don’t want to wear a dress,” Libby pouts.

“You don’t have to, just wear something nice,” Louis says as he retreats backward.

“Okay!” she shouts her head going back inside the tree house closing the window.

“Thanks Papa!” the boys shout poking their heads out the door.

Louis is pretty sure he will be out here in five minutes forcing them out but whatever. As long as they are out before Harry gets home they will all be fine.

Louis walks the short distance from the tree and past the pool into the house. Upon entering the open door he finds Addison curled on the sofa in the sitting room with tears in her eyes.

“Hey Addison Lee what’s wrong?” Louis says crouching down to her eye level.

She smiles and lets out a reluctant giggle. “That’s not my name.”

Louis fakes shock, his eyebrows rising. “Then what’s your name?”

“Addison Louise Tomlinson,” she giggles wiping her eyes and sitting up.

“Same thing then, “Louis says wiping a tear away with his thumb. “What you crying about love?”

Her bottom lip trembles again and she lets out a huff of a breath. “I don’t know what to wear.”

“Do you need my help?”

She seems to consider this for a bit, weighing up the pros and cons. Obviously she wants Harry’s help but obviously she is distraught. Plus she doesn’t have the ability to ever really say no, especially not to her Papa.

She nods her head. “I’d like that very much Papa.”

She climbs off the couch and leads Louis out of the living room and toward her bedroom upstairs hand in hand.

“I thought Daddy would pick something out but he didn’t,” she tells as they round the corner to her pink door.

She pushes it open and pulls Louis into her rainbow coloured room. She pushes him to sit down on the end of the bed and face her wardrobe.

In a flurry of activity she grabs four dresses out off coat hangers and lays them out on the floor in front of Louis. They range in colour and style.

“Which one do you like best?” Louis asks. She peers up at him from her position sitting cross legged on the ground. She shrugs and takes a moment to look. She points to a pink and brown plaid dress with long sleeves and a pleated skirt.

“Wear that one then,” he says like it is the easiest decision in the world.

“What about a jacket?” she ponders.

“You won’t be going outside don’t worry,” Louis says but she doesn’t look convinced.

Rocky barks downstairs and Louis is pretty sure he hears the front door open and close. As well as the tell tale sign of a squealing two year old greeting her best friend, the cat Leonardo.

“But what if,” Addison ponders for a few moments staring into her wardrobe on her tip toes. She turns and asks, “What about my hair? Pigtails?”

She narrows her eyes at Louis. “Can you do my pigtails?”

Louis pigtail skills are shit. He nods anyway.

Addison’s door opens and Harry stands staring at Louis. He has Peyton wriggling in his arms, three grocery bags in the other and doesn’t look too pleased.

“Where are my children?” he says as he gives up the fight with Peyton and puts her on the ground.

“Leo! Leo!” she says as she pushes her way between Harry’s two legs and follows the cat down the hall towards Mackenzie’s room.

“Don’t chase him Peyton,” Harry groans watching her scamper away. Leo is too smart for Peyton however and he will slip out a window and leaving her crying in only a few moments.

Louis groans. “I told them.”

“Where are they?” Harry says again with a scowl.

“In the tree house!” Louis huffs standing up.

“I left half an hour ago, and they’re still in there?” Harry says raising his full hands.

“Daddy! Which one should I wear?” Addison pipes up pointing at her selections on the floor.

Harry’s face softens and he looks down at her. “What about the new one,” he says pointing to the pink and brown dress Addison had selected before.

“And jacket?”

“The brown coat, but you won’t need it,” he says looking at the coat she had laid next to it.

She smiles very proud of her choices and begins to put the dresses she didn’t want away.

“I told them if they didn’t get out I would lock the tree house up for a week.”

Right on cue Peyton starts crying and flops down on the floor as Leo disappears through the high bathroom window and onto the roof.

“Oh P it’s alright,” Harry says thrusting his bags into Louis arms who accepts them knowing he has no other choice.

Harry picks up his wailing daughter from the floor and holds her tightly. “You know who always wants to play? Rocky!”

Louis figures he should put the bags in the kitchen or risk more trouble. “You alright now Addison?”

She smiles at him. “Yes! Thank you!”

Louis quickly puts the vegetables on the kitchen counter and goes back outside once again to find his children once again.

“Elliot, Grayson, Libby you all need to get out of there!” he shouts.

“That wasn’t five minutes,” Grayson says back.

It was actually more like ten minutes.

“I don’t care. Out. Now.”

The door slowly creeps open and three sad faces stare back at him. Big eyes, pouted lips and the signature Tomlinson dramatics.

“That’s not going to work,” Louis says as he stands his ground.

Slowly but surely Liberity sighs and climbs down the ladder taking as long as she can to make a point. Her brothers follow quickly after. He pats them all on the head at the valiant effort at being well behaved. He was pretty certain he was going to have to drag them out.

He leads them inside and locks the door behind them fearing they will sneak back out when he turns his back.

“You all need to get changed,” Louis says staring at their dirty clothes as they walk through the house.

They agree. “Your outfits are on your beds,” Harry calls from the kitchen.

The kids disappear upstairs together in a cloud of noise and Louis goes to figure out if Peyton has calmed down. And if Harry has.

Peyton sits on a chair watching Harry with her blanket in one arm and a sippy cup in the other. Her face is still a bit red and wet but she’s alright. Harry however is frantically pulling things out of bags and keeping his eye on his daughter and pulling his hair out _and_ muttering under his breath.

“Babe,” Louis tries gently reaching out to touch Harry, who hasn’t even noticed he is there.

“Calm down,” Louis offers as he rubs his hand into his shoulder. Harry huffs out a breath but relaxes a little bit.

“I’m fine,” Harry says as he grabs the lettuce and places it on a board.

“Don’t stress,” Louis says forcefully. Harry doesn’t say anything.

“It’s just dinner,“ Louis demands. Because he knows Harry is getting competitive over a dinner, in which they have literally zero competition.

Harry turns away from his lettuce and smiles at Louis. “I know.” He takes a deep calming breath and continues, “I’m just a little stressed.”

“Same,” replies a quiet voice from the doorway.

Louis and Harry both turn to see their daughter looking equally as frazzled as Harry. She looks put together but her face gives her away. Her big eyes are abnormally wide.

“I think this was a bad idea,” Mackenzie says weakly.

And now Louis realises he has to deal with two equally stressed out Tomlinson’s. It’s a good thing he is an expert at worried Harry and panicked Mackenzie.

“Hey,” Louis says gently, “None of that.”

She shakes her head. “I might be sick.”

“No you won’t, I know you. As soon as he walks through that door you will turn it on,” Louis replies stepping forward and letting her lean her head on his chest.

“We can cancel if you want,” Harry says quietly from behind.

Louis turns his head shaking it and frowns.

“Dad,” Mackenzie whines, “He is going to be here in like five minutes! It’s a bit late now.”

Harry shrugs his shoulders up.

Louis looks between the two of them. “Stop, we are all going to be fine.”

Right on cue Addison pokes her head through and wanders in the door. She has a collection of different hair accessories in her hands in an assortment of colours. It is easy to tell she had tried and failed to sort her hair situation out. She has a lop sided ponytail on her head that is slowly unravelling.

“Can I have some help please?” she questions as she drops her hair ties, headbands and clips on the ground.

Harry crouches down to her level and reminds her she actually can’t wear all of these hair accessories she has to just pick one or two. Addison doesn’t seem to think that is reasonable.

“Mackenzie,” Harry starts as he parts Addison’s curls and starts on her pigtails threading her curls through his fingers. Mackenzie looks down at him giving him her full attention.

“You will be fine, you are wonderful. Just be yourself,” he rambles on as he puts rainbow ties as a finishing touch on each of the ponytails before admiring the view.

Harry doesn’t like to brag but his pigtails skills are pretty out of this world. He has four daughters, and a lot of hair himself. Practice makes perfect.

Mackenzie nods, chewing on her bottom lip.

“And you,” Louis says to Harry who is still nervously picking at his thumb nail and playing with his watch, “Are going to be fine, the lasagne looks perfect so finish the salad. Chopping lettuce is calming,” he says ushering him toward the counter. 

Mackenzie does calm down and Harry does finish his salad very quickly and seems more at ease now that no one is crying or being disobedient. All six of them get lined up in the hallway from oldest to youngest and every Tomlinson gets inspected.

Harry and Louis look carefully over Mackenzie. “You look perfect,” Louis says as he tugs her blue beanie down over her eyes.

“Thanks,” she giggles.

“You look perfect,” he says to Liberity next.

Harry does up Elliot’s top button on his shirt and pats him on the head. “Perfect.”

Louis rolls up the sleeves of Grayson’s t shirt and then realises Grayson is hiding his arms behind his back.

“What are you hiding?” Harry asks kneeling down to Grayson’s eye level.

Grayson looks at Elliot who shakes his head silently. Harry slowly tugs Grayson’s arms out from behind his back to reveal his sharpie marked arms.

Harry sighs. “Have you been running a tattoo parlour in the tree house again?”

“You guys get a discount,” Grayson says with a smile to his dads.

“Good to know,” Louis replies.

After a minute or two of deliberating they figure there isn’t much they can do, it is going to take a while for them to be scrubbed off. This, Harry thinks, is a perfect example of why they are always getting calls from the principal. Their uniforms are going to look so good with sharpie stained hands.

“You look perfect and your hair looks perfect,” Louis says to Addison who stands with her feet together and her hands clasped.

“Thank you very much papa, you look perfect as well.”

Rocky starts barking like he does whenever someone arrives and Harry panics, he taps Peyton on the head, “And Peyton always looks perfect.”

“Say it,” Addison shouts waving her hands in the air.

“Don’t say it,” Liberity whines.

“You’re as cute as a button every single one of you,” Harry says triumphantly.

Of course it is met equally with protests and some exuberant cheers. “I can’t believe I still have to go through that,” Mackenzie complains.

Louis bops her nose making her scrunch it up. “Well it’s the truth.”

Someone knocks on the door and everyone looks at each other. Mackenzie doesn’t move an inch.

Louis clutches her shoulders and pulls her toward the door, her feet barely moving. “You’ll be fine. Go get him Mac.”

Her fingers reach for the door handle but she quickly changes her mind dropping it. She looks at her entire family staring back at her with expectation in their eyes. “Act normal,” she says waving her hands about indicating they spread out or something that doesn’t make them look like they are posing for their Christmas card.

They don’t really move though. Louis tries to put on his ‘cool dad’ smile but it’s still not translating to his facial muscles plus Harry keeps on pinching his sides and whispering, “Be nice.”

Mackenzie gulps down a breath and opens the door.

Louis can’t move because Harry is practically holding him back. He wants to lunge between the door frame and but a barrier between his daughter and this boy standing there. He can’t see Mackenzie’s face but he is certain she blushes when she says, “Hi.”

Harry whispers in Louis ear laughing before he can get the words out, “Someone trip him over and make him say oops.”

Louis doesn’t reply because he is clenching his fists. This boy has brown floppy hair and is holding a flower out. He also looks older than her. All bad signs.

“This for your mum,” he says, which causes Mackenzie to break into a fit of loud giggles and breathlessly say, “That was _so_ funny that time wasn’t it.”

 Nobody else in the room finds it that funny.

“Inside jokes about her having two dads, so cute,” Harry tells Louis like he didn’t know.

“I’m going to scare him,” Louis replies instead.

“Says the man with the teacup tattooed on his arm.”

“It’s for you,” Adam says handing the flower to Mackenzie. She takes it and says thank you before turning around to let him through the door realizing she has left him in the cold.

Harry gives her a gentle little thumbs up signal from the arm he has wrapped around Louis shoulder, she catches it and raises her thumb that is pressed against her flower blushing.

“Hello,” Adam says to all the blinking eyes now staring at him.

“Hi, nice to meet you Adam,” Harry replies waving then extending his hand. He shakes Adam’s hand and then feels weird so just hugs him instead winking at Mackenzie as he does so. He also exaggeratedly mouths, “He’s so cute!”

Louis takes a little more effort. He doesn’t quite hug Adam. “Hello,” Louis says as Harry’s words echo in his head.

He contemplates being nice. He’ll try his best.

He extends his hand which Adam takes. He doesn’t think about how small his hands look, Louis eyes him down. “How old are you?”

“Fifteen.”

Louis arches his eyebrows at Mackenzie who shakes her head. He lets go of Adam’s hand.

“What are your intentions for my daughter?”

Louis is scary, Harry’s opinion and the teacup tattoo be damned. He knows he can install fear with a glare and a comment. He also feel kind of badass using a line he has stored up in the back of his head since they said “It’s a girl!”

“I mean I just want to spend time with her,” he answers scratching the back of his neck, “and tutor her in math.”

“We’re just friends papa,” Mackenzie says for the fiftieth time.

Louis doesn’t do anything in response to that.

“Everyone introduces your selves,” Harry says frantically nudging Liberity to start and to break the slightly awkward silence.

“Hello I’m Libby, just Libby,” she says confidently.

“I’m Grayson, he’s Elliot,” Grayson says pointing his brother out specifically because name confusion is irritating but he knows it’s hard to grasp identical twins and all that.

“I’m Elliot, and I’m older than him,” Elliot corrects with a smile added on at the end. Best behaviour.

“Hello, I’m Addison it’s nice to meet you,” Addison says presenting her hand for a handshake like she had seen her parents do. Adam takes it and she beams at everyone proudly.

“And this is Peyton,” Harry says pointing to Peyton is grumpily trying to get up into Louis arms.

“Up! Up please,” she whines grabbing his arm, he picks her up and says, “Say hello P.”

She takes a quick look at the stranger before her and says, “Hello,” before hiding her face in his neck shyly.

Adam greets everyone of the individually, and the boys already look in awe of having someone older cool and male to torment.

“Would you like to come in our tree house?” Elliot asks almost immediately.

Mackenzie looks annoyed and shoves her brother away. “No, he doesn’t want to. I’m giving him a tour of the house.”

Louis looks at Harry and arches his eyebrows and widens his eyes comically. Harry doesn’t seem to notice or care what Louis is getting fussed over and shrugs him off trying to usher the boys to leave Mackenzie and Adam alone for at least one second.

“A tour? Is that code for going to your bedroom?” Louis asks Mackenzie.

Mackenzie looks so embarrassed. But everyone else in the room seems very amused.

“No. I just want to show him the VMA’s and the giant spider man in our basement seriously Papa.”

Louis narrows his eyes suspiciously. “Okay.”

He uses all his self control to let them walk away and out of the room. Also he is sort of held back a bit by Harry.

“Sorry,” Mackenzie says quietly, but not so quiet that everyone can’t hear.

“Is there really a spider man statue in the basement?” Adam asks unfazed.

“Yea, iron man too,” she says with a flick of her wrist.

Louis goes to follow but Harry stops him once again. “Wow, you and Peyton are not following them around like creepy chaperones.”

“But I need to check something in the basement,” Louis says unconvincingly.

Harry shakes his head. “Lib you can be our spy,” he says shoving her down the hall toward where Mackenzie disappeared.

“What?”

“Can we go too?” Grayson asks.

“Yes,” Harry replies but the twins have already run off and Liberity follows frowning after quickly.

“Don’t worry,” Harry says smoothing the frown line between Louis eyebrows, “No funny business will happen when she has all of them bugging her.”

Louis has to be pried away from his place staring down the hall where they all disappeared.

Addison, Peyton and Louis use their fantastic team work skills to set the table. Addison does everything perfectly down to the last detail. Peyton isn’t much help but she is probably more useful than Louis.

Louis whispers, “I’m not saying I don’t trust him but-“

“Lou,” Harry shushes. “What did I say? Trust your parenting skills.”

“I’m going to interrogate him,” Louis says not listening.

“No, you aren’t. Don’t scare off her one friend,” Harry exhales loudly then quietens his tone, “Isn’t it nice she has friends? That is the happiest I’ve seen her with a friend in a while.”

The door bell rings and Harry and Louis stop. They look at each other confused.

Louis leaves the kitchen and dining room to open the door. He really doesn’t know who it could be. He opens the door to find none other than Niall Horan staring back at him.

“Niall,” Louis says surprised and confused.

“Niall?” Harry says standing behind him with the girls.

“Ni,” Peyton whines wrapping herself around his legs.

“Hello, where the bloody hell are the Tomlinson’s at? I don’t think I’ve ever been greeted at this door with less than four of them,” Niall says scooping Peyton up into his arms.

Louis closes the door. “Niall what brings you here?”

Niall seems confused for a second before saying, “The demo!”

He points at Harry who narrows his eyes.

“I need the demo Harry! Like now.”

Harry nods. Right. He forgot about that.

“I could’ve just emailed it to you,” Harry smiles. Niall is so transparent.

“I was in the neighbourhood.”

Harry disappears to find the demo track he needs to give to Niall.

“So where are all the kids?” Niall asks Louis.

Louis sighs. This is going to be fun. “Mackenzie has a boy over for dinner.”

Just like Louis expected Niall finds it hilariously funny, both Louis painful expression and the fact that little Mackenzie has a boyfriend.

“Mackenzie has a boyfriend? This is great,” Niall wheezes out.

“No. She has a friend,” Louis corrects rolling his eyes to make sure Niall gets the point.

As if they heard something the troops arrive back and descend the stairs obviously finished their long and adventure filled tour.

“Is that Niall Horan?” Someone, obviously Adam, says like the coolest person in the world just walked into the room. Also a bit like a celebrity just walked into the room. Which is funny because he probably just walked past like the five platinum record plaques.

Mackenzie spots Niall and groans covering her face. That is just what she needed.

“Mac attack,” Niall calls knowing she is now hiding her face, “Macie moo.”

“That is Niall Horan,” Mackenzie painfully replies. Yup, that is confirmation she is about to be tormented about this for the rest of her life. “Hi Uncle Niall.”

“What? No Uncle Ni Ni? She sure has grown up Lou,” Niall says sadly and dramatically to rile Louis up.

Elliot and Grayson round the corner and spots Niall. “Uncle Ni,” Elliot shouts tackling Niall into a hug followed closely by his brother.

“See Ellie and Grayson aren’t too cool Mac.”

Mackenzie shakes her head and sighs.

“Want to come in our tree house?” Grayson asks Niall.

“No,” Louis says stepping between them all, “Niall doesn’t want a fake tattoo.”

Harry returns demo in hand and everything is sort of in chaos. Mackenzie is trying to escape with Adam away from Niall who is actually distracted and taking a selfie with Peyton, Louis is trying to tell the boys they aren’t just allowed to sharpie up everyone’s arms and Addison is crying for some unknown reason. Probably because she wants in on the selfie.

Harry hands Niall the USB in exchange for his toddler. Addison stops crying and latches onto Harry’s ankle.

“Can’t I just take Peyton with me?” Niall jokes flicking through the pictures he just took.

“No,” Harry pouts gripping her tighter. My baby. Mine.

”Just have your own baby Niall,” Louis adds like it’s a no brainer.

Niall shrugs.”Na, I’m good it’s better to just claim other peoples as your own for an hour, that way you can always give them back.”

“Bye Niall,” Louis says before Niall has even announced he is leaving.

Niall laughs slapping Louis on the back. “I love you guys.”

“Bye Niall,” Harry adds smiling. Peyton blows him a kiss.

Niall goes to step out the front door after saying goodbye to all the other kids still around but changes his mind. He quickly shouts, “Mackenzie.”

“What?” she replies loudly from upstairs.

“You’re boyfriend is cute!” he shouts back.

Mackenzie doesn’t reply she just slams a door. And Harry and Louis look at each other and laugh. Well, Louis looks a bit like he is going to have a heart attack at the whole boyfriend word but they are still laughing at Mackenzie interacting with her favourite Uncle.

Niall closes the door after reminding them “Barbeque on Friday, don’t forget” and Harry says, “You know I feel like I am just going to wake up one day and figure Niall has adopted himself into our family and we have seven kids.”

 

 

After their visitor everything is a bit calmer. The table is set and then the food is ready. And quick as anything they have a table full of children and one guest in the dining room. It’s really a squeeze and lots of bumping elbows because no matter how big of a table they got they never seem to have space but whatever they like it this way Louis thinks as little hands are handed plates full of lasagne.

It’s a perfect mixture of delicate voices asking politely for some water or for Papa to chop all their food into bit sized pieces and shouting wriggling older children.

“Boys, where is your salad?” Louis asks Elliot and Grayson who look up at him confused. Louis the salad advocate what a day.

“Where is your salad papa?” Elliot retorts back looking down at Louis colourless plate.

“I’m getting it right now,” he sort of lies. He does grab the salad bowl and make a big fuss about it.

The boys grumpily copy filling their plates much to Harry’s delight.

“So,” Louis says dragging every syllable out pushing a piece of lettuce around his plate. He isn’t going to eat it anyway.

“So,” Harry asks looking at him turning the end of the word up like a question.

“ _So_ Adam what do your parents do?” Louis asks deliberately not looking at Harry.

Adam goes to open his mouth to start but Mackenzie gets there before him, “They’re lawyers.”

“Do you have any brothers or sisters?” Harry asks also not looking at Louis now.

“No, just me,” he says quickly before Mackenzie can’t interrupt. She nods along enthusiastically.

Addison puts her fork down and turns her head furrowing her eyebrows together. “That’s boring.”

“Addison,” Harry and Louis say at the same time in the same tone. She bites her lip and says a quick sorry, not quite sure what she said wrong.

“Elliot stop,” Mackenzie says under her breath but so the whole table can hear it. Harry’s fork stops mid air and panics, this is normally where things go bad. This may be the brink of no return. They are about to fall down the rabbit hole.

“Stop kicking me under the table,” Mackenzie grits out still smiling but quickly losing her cool demeanour.

“Elliot,” Louis says to get his attention.

Elliot looks at Louis and raises his hands. “It’s not me, it’s Libby.”

“It is not!”

“Alright! Well whoever is doing it is going to stop right now aren’t they?” Harry asks, thinking very optimistically about his children. Mackenzie is trying to keep her cool and keeps on apologizing to Adam. All the other kids are looking at each other and shrugging as if to say it wasn’t me.

“How about we all share the best part of our day? Alright good idea, youngest first,” Harry says clapping his hands together to get everyone’s attention.

Peyton looks at him confused with big eyes and a messy face. Harry is pretty sure it will be a lost cause trying to get her to speak in front of someone she doesn’t know. He quickly starts as everyone quietens down, “Peyton says the best part of her day is when papa read her and Addison ‘The Cat in the Hat’”

“It’s Grayson I can see him moving,” Liberity says to her sister pointing her knife. Louis slowly and carefully extracts the knife from her hand and places it gently on the table shaking his head.

“Addison’s turn,” Harry says patting her on the back to begin.

She takes a moment to think about it her finger prodding her bottom lip.  While she does this Liberity gets kicked in the shin.

“Ouch! What was that for?” she asks her older sister accusingly.

Mackenzie looks at Adam sweetly and says, “It’s normally not like this.”

What a lie, Louis thinks.

“The best part of my day was when daddy let me flip the pancakes,” Addison tells everyone with a broad smile on her face.

The kicking war at the other end of the table has not subsided however. It rages on until Louis sighs and says, “Elliot and Grayson we all know it’s you.”

Elliot and Grayson stop moving completely and blush. “Are you going to lock the tree house up?”

“Yes,” Louis says sadly to their disappointment.

“Life sucks,” Elliot says into his hands.

Other than the minor kicking incident and one piece of carrot that landed in Mackenzie’s glass of water the whole dinner goes alright.

 

 

“Alright, I’m going inside. You can just stay here and watch for sharks,” Ariel tells Flounder.

Harry can hear all the dialogue as he stirs the milk into his tea and picks it up. As quiet as possible he sneaks down the hall trying not to make a single noise. The door is slightly ajar but that isn’t what he is looking at.

Louis is the one who has opened it just an inch, and he stands with crossed arms peering just slightly into the movie room trying his best at spying. He seems to be contemplating his move, rocking up and down on his feet.

“Boo,” Harry says quietly from behind trying to startle him. Louis jumps surprised and then smacks him on the arm lightly. They try their best not to make a sound, keeping undercover together.

All of their kids sit huddled under one blanket on the floor, propped up on pillows and snuggling each other in a cuddle pile. Apart from Mackenzie who sits awkwardly on the couch next to Adam. Harry laughs because Louis really has nothing to worry about, they are sitting almost a meter apart not touching at all. Apparently this is not acceptable in Louis’ mind.

“Ariel, do you really think there might be sharks around here?” Flounder whispers. Peyton hides her head under the blanket.

“I knew that would happen,” Louis whispers.

“She won’t make it past the shark scene like usual,” Harry sighs. Every time she cries if they don’t let her join in on the movie, every time she cries when something scary happens. They can’t win so it’s better to just let her wait it out and run away when the monsters come out.

“Where’s mine?” Louis asks looking at Harry’s tea.

“In the kitchen.”

“Always so good to me,” Louis says brushing a hand cover Harry’s cheek watching him smile back his ‘I’m a perfect spouse and I know it’ smile.

“I think we should leave them alone,” Harry says as the kids giggle as Ariel gets excited over finding a fork.

As soon as the shark jumps into the picture Peyton screams from under the blanket.

“Shark! Shark , we’re going to die Ariel!”

She is out from under the covers and pillows and Addison’s arms in a split second running toward the door. At the door she finds exactly who she wants, “Papa.”

Immediately she is in his arms just where she wants to be. And they both laugh because they knew that was going to happen for sure.

Harry takes a step back from the door. “Come on, before they force us to duet Part of Your World.”

They never force them to do that. It is always Harry’s idea and it is completely voluntary.

Louis doesn’t move, he stays put biting his bottom lip and staring into the darkness. He doesn’t move until Harry takes his hand and leads him away. “It will be fine. Plus your tea is going cold.”

 

 

It’s only a few hours later that Mackenzie lets her head drop on his chest and she closes her eyes. Louis watches her exhale, her whole body moving up and down in a rhythm of repetition. He ponders how young she is for a moment, how while things change little things like the way she looks with those green eyes has always stayed the same.

“He doesn’t like me. He sees me as his friend,” she says softly, like a secret or maybe a lie. Just something she doesn’t know how to say, it comes out weak and breathless. She doesn’t open her eyes or turn her head.

Louis places a hand through her hair and she just whispers, “He just doesn’t look at me in the right way does he?”

Louis frowns. “What do you mean?”

As soft and as tentative as ever she says, “He just doesn’t look at me like dad looks at you.”

“Mac,” he says quickly placing his hand on her cheek and turning it toward him. She opens her eyes, her beautiful Harry eyes. He is struck with how lucky he is. “Mackenzie. That is a pretty high standard.”

She blinks her watering eyes a few times before sighing.

“I am sure one day someone will look at you like that, all that love comes through a very long time together and a long journey.”

She scoffs turning her head away from him. “Dad met you when he was sixteen, I’ve got three years. More like two and a half.”

“It doesn’t work quite like that,” Louis frowns. He sighs, he needs Harry’s assistance now.

“I’ve probably met him before, or crossed his path. He could be right under my nose, I just need to look,” she prattles on getting herself more and more worked up her hands turning in on themselves.

Someone gently knocks on the door and opens it without needing answer. Harry carefully walks in holding two hot chocolates with a sprinkle of marshmallows in each. He instantly feels the need to grab Mackenzie and snuggle away her worries as soon as he sees her.

“These are for you two,” he says placing them on the bedside table.

“Thanks babe,” Louis says kindly. Mackenzie just smiles weakly.

He shuffles onto the bed and they make a little huddle like they have been known to do, Louis with Mackenzie in the middle and Harry on the other side. Harry brushes her hair out of her face and kisses her forehead, before linking his hand with Louis’ hand over top of their little pile. Their merged fingers lie on top of their daughter.

“He doesn’t like me Dad,” she says softly once again.

Harry frowns. “He does.”

She shakes her head. “He doesn’t, he told me. We’re just friends.”

“That is his loss then love. There will be other boys,” Harry says trying his best to smile happily.

“Just let me be sad,” she says quietly into Louis shoulder.

Harry looks at Louis, who is already looking at him and lets his lips quirk up only slightly before extracting Mackenzie from his shoulder. She mumbles and grumbles.

“You are so special to us,” Louis says softly rubbing a finger over her frowned brow.

Harry leans over to the side table and grabs her hot chocolate and places it in her hands. He grabs Louis’ as well and gives it to him.

“Drink,” Harry starts. He raises his finger and shakes his head when she opens her mouth in protest. “No protesting you bought this upon yourself. Drink and be cuddled.”

“Okay,” she says quietly raising the mug to her mouth, “But no singing.”

 

“And then on Wednesday Addison has extra ballet, so you are going to have to pick Mackenzie up from choir,” Harry says putting his toothbrush back in its holder.

“Extra ballet?” Louis asks amused by the thought.

Harry exits the bathroom flicking the light off and frowning at him. “Yes, extra ballet lessons.”

“Because she is really good or really bad?” Louis asks confused, watching Harry pick up clothes from the floor and put them in a neat pile.

“She’s in the advanced classes,” Harry says smiling. He grabs Louis shoes off the floor and walks into the wardrobe putting them on their shelf tidily.

“That’s my girl,” Louis says fondly. He then laughs, “Funny how she is probably better than both of our dancing skills combined.”

Harry flicks the wardrobe light off and fakes shock. “I’m actually a great dancer, you’re wrong.”

He puts his hands over his head like he is trying to do a pirouette and Louis laughs out, “You’re an idiot.”

Harry beams proudly, there still isn’t anything quite like making Louis laugh. Harry scans the room trying to find more things to clean.

“Babe,” Louis says from his place lying on their bed, “Come to bed.”

Harry seems unsure about it for a moment before he sighs and crawls into bed. “She’s fine you can stop stress cleaning,” Louis mutters as Harry fluffs his pillows.

“You sure?” Harry asks. He isn’t quite sure, maybe he should go check on Mackenzie again.

“I just snuck a look, she’s asleep.”

Harry doesn’t think it puts his mind at ease at all and he stares at their door.

“Do you want me to go check again?” Louis says quietly putting his hand over Harry’s.

“No,” Harry says shaking his head, “If she knew we still did that we would be disowned.”

Louis laughs squeezing Harry’s hand harder and letting his head drop onto his shoulder. “If she knew that you still sung her lullabies while she was sleeping-“

“She would kill me I know,” he says with a laugh, his shoulders moving Louis up and down.

“Anything else you need to remind me about?” Louis asks softly after a while of content silence.

Harry wonders for a moment before saying, “You’ll also have to cook dinner on Wednesday.”

Louis lets out a noise of disgruntlement. “It’s going to be shit. I’ll be public enemy number one.”

Harry pats his head politely trying not to laugh. “That’s a lie,” he tells him instead, “You’re taking everyone to school on Tuesday and we have a barbeque at Niall’s on Friday. Don’t forget. Also please pick a holiday destination already.”

“I said Fiji” Louis says, trying to disguise a yawn.

“And I said Bora Bora,” Harry says pulling the blanket up higher between them.

“And then I said let’s do what you want to do.”

“So I said Fiji.”

“And I said Bora Bora,” Louis sighs.

“I think it’s time to leave it up to public vote.”

Louis laughs as he finally takes his head off Harry’s shoulder and lies it on a pillow. Harry goes to lie behind him but Louis grumbles and shakes his head, so Harry resides himself to being the little spoon. If it makes Louis happy he is fine with it and this definitely makes him happy, because Harry can feel him kissing the back of his neck and smelling his hair.

Harry reaches out and switches his lamp off flooding the room into darkness. “Tonight was good,” Louis whispers, “Actually everyday is good. “

Harry threads their fingers together. “Oh I forgot to tell you one other thing,” he says nonchalantly, “I love you. Don’t forget.”

Harry can feel Louis mouth turn up into a grin against his bare shoulder. “I won’t,” he murmurs into the dark, “Trust me, I wont forget.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading, sorry if your teeth are now rotten. you can always visit me here to complain: itiswhatitisbutterfly.tumblr.com


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